Bristol Tn Or Bristol Va (Johnson City, Kingsport: sales, real estate, houses)

[dolamiti]

My wife and I have been looking to relocate. We are semi-retired. If you could buy a home in tennessee or virginia which state would you consider?
Let's say the home is $150,000, would the property taxes be more in Tennessee or Virginia?
thanks for all and any infomation.

[LongShot]

Taxes in Va would be higher. Tn Side is not bad at all and you just drive across State Street to be on the Va. Side. Plus Tn. does not have a state tax...just a higher sales tax...which you can overcome by driving across State Street...hehehe.

[rubytue]

Live in TN, shop in VA. Lower property taxes and no income tax in TN. Sales tax is 9.5% in TN and 4.5% in VA.

[LongShot]

Oh Yea, you will also pay alot more for electricity on the Va. side. Last year ..it hit big time and the residents were all kinds of ticked off about it over there.

[Lori M]

I am a nurse , and my husband is a middle school math teacher, and we are planning to relocate to be near family living in Bristol, VA.
The much lower pay scale is a huge shock that needs some researching, but everyone says that the lower cost of living makes it equitable.
The houses we've seen on line sure are much cheaper than Massachusetts.
I don't know if there would be a better Bristol to live in.
I understand the bigger hospitals are in TN.
What I would like to find is a growing area with some new housing being built.
My daughter will be entering high school next year and we will be staying put for a while.
I am really looking forward to the "Southern hospitality" we hear so much about, and would like small town charm vs larger city-like living. We are coming from a fairly quiet town in New England and would like to be close to "civilization" without all the hustle and bustle.
Any comments or info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. LM

[Kpt.]

Lori M; there is a large regional hospital in Bristol TN and large hospitals in Kingsport and Johnson City, so you will have no problems finding a job. There is always a demand for math teachers as well. Depends on how close you want to be to family as far as housing is concerned. Several new housing developments are underway in Kingsport and JC, and housing cost may be somewhat lower in Kingsport than JC. I'm not familiar with what is going on with housing in the Bristols.

[Tennesseestorm]

Same here... I live in Tennessee and work in Virginia. Not to happy about paying VA state taxes.

[GrannyLois]

I've been looking for a small farm for a New York friend moving down here, and noticed that the real estate prices in Virginia were lower than in Tennessee. (I'm not a realtor, just a friend.)

So, like the others said, things even out, financially, when you put taxes, etc., into the mix.

Bristol, VA residents use the Tennessee hospital and other things - the phrase you hear is: I'm on the Virginia side ... or ... I live on the Tennessee side.

As far as quality of high schools go, they seem to be about equal. One is called Virginia High, one is called Tennessee High. Bristol is really one city - kind of like a twin city.

[seanbhalliday]

I would have to say to live in Tennessee. I moved to the Tri Cities area 3 years ago and I love it.

Here is a website with information on the Tri Cities.

The Tri Cities Best

Sean B. Halliday